It might be interesting to have a thread recognizing the significant things that happened on each day of the year. Musical or otherwise. Here's today's, for November 11.

On this day in 1918 - World War I: Germany signs an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car in the forest of Compiègne, France. The fighting officially ends at 11:00 a.m. (the eleventh hour in the eleventh month on the eleventh day) and this is annually honored with a two-minute silence.

Of soldiers alone, ten million had died.

On the morning of the armistice itself, the generals on both sides, even though they knew very well that fighting would stop at 11AM, kept sending troops into battle, killing over 10000 on that day alone. War criminals that have never been brought to justice.

 

From All Quiet on the Western Front:

"He fell in October, 1918, on a day that was so quiet and still on the whole front, that the army report confined itself to the single sentence: All quiet on the Western Front. He had fallen forward and lay on the earth as though sleeping. Turning him over one saw that he could not have suffered long; his face had an expression of calm, as though almost glad the end had come."

The film version is equally as poignant:

 

It is really a pity you did not start this thread two days earlier, on November 9th, the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and Europe's final victory over communism.

 

On this day, November 12, in 1912 – The frozen bodies of Robert Scott and his men are found on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica.

To anybody -- if you're interested in our history, simply enter the date (e.g., "November 12") into Wiki and you'll get a list of things that happened. Select one that you feel is important or interesting, and paste it into this thread as a new post.

 

Nov. 12, 1942. World War II: The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal between Japanese and American forces begins near Guadalcanal. The battle lasts for three days and ends with an American victory.

 

Great idea for a thread! I hope to contribute when I can.

 

Today I got my piano tuned. That is a significant event.

 

This day, 13 November 1947 -- The Soviet Union completed development of the AK-47, one of the first proper assault rifles. This is still a popular weapon in schools and elsewhere.

 

I am sure Andy Murray and others from Dunblane would not be amused by this.

 

November 13, 1982: Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini defeats Korea's Duk Koo Kim in a boxing match in Las Vegas, and Kim dies four days later as a result of head injuries he sustained in the fight.

I remember watching this fight back when they actually showed boxing on free tv.

A very sad story.

 

"Boom Boom" Mancini defeats Korea's Duk Koo Kim in a boxing match

...before or after he scored Moon River?

 

In 354, St. Augustine was born. Of course, he didn't start out a saint; his Confessions are pretty interesting.

 

Jawaharlal Nehru was born today in 1889. He was the first prime minister of India.

But somehow, because of that, Children's Day is observed in India. Apparently he loved children a lot. I don't want to be too cynical, but that has always sounded like some weak and hollow propaganda to me!

 

In the West, Nehru's principles are often confused with M. Gandhi's. In India, Nehru was a wheel. The memories of wheels get greased.

 

Today, November 14 in 1862: American President Abraham Lincoln approves General Ambrose Burnside's plan to capture the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia, leading to the Battle of Fredericksburg.

 

Enough death and destruction yet. Let's have a whale of a time

1792 - Capt George Vancouver is first Englishman to enter San Francisco Bay - the other famous Norfolk -------lad
1851 - Herman Melville's novel "Moby Dick" was first published in the U.S.
1896 - The speed limit for horseless carriages in Britain was raised from 4 mph (2 mph in towns) to
-------14 mph. It was marked by the first London to Brighton Car Run

 

On 14th November 565 (1448 years ago today), Justinian died. Justinian is variously called "the last of the Romans" since he was the last Byzantine Emperor who made serious efforts to reclaim the West. As a result, his death is sometimes used as a marker for the end of the Western Roman Empire. Despite his mightily impressive building works and his influential treatises on law, Justinian was essentially a failure (although it didn't help that his reign saw the worst plague in all of antiquity).

Nevertheless... an important date in ancient history I think.

 

On 14th November 565 (1448 years ago today), Justinian died. Justinian is variously called "the last of the Romans" since he was the last Byzantine Emperor who made serious efforts to reclaim the West. As a result, his death is sometimes used as a marker for the end of the Western Roman Empire. Despite his mightily impressive building works and his influential treatises on law, Justinian was essentially a failure (although it didn't help that his reign saw the worst plague in all of antiquity).

Nevertheless... an important date in ancient history I think.

Reminds me of the Bob Dylan lyrics: 'She knows there's no success like failure, and that failure's no success at all.'
And she should know - 'she has an Egyptian ring that sparkles before she speaks'!!!

 

Much more important fellow posters, on this day in 1922, the BBC begins regular transmissions from London.

 

From Wikipedia

Nov. 14, 1900 – birth of Aaron Copland, American composer

 

From Wikipedia

Nov. 14, 1900 - birth of Aaron Copland, American composer

Hate to say it, that's got a thread of its own.

 

Today is Beethoven's father's birthday. I don't think too many people are celebrating that.

 

Chippie Sweats!

KenOC wasn't condoning the utilisation of these items in a place of learning.

 

November 15, 1864 – American Civil War: Union General William Tecumseh Sherman burns Atlanta, Georgia and starts Sherman's March to the Sea.

Lots of neo-confederates still haven't gotten over that little event.

But, the way I see it, it just proves the one absolute truth about war: It is better to win than to lose.

 

But, the way I see it, it just proves the one absolute truth about war: It is better to win than to lose.

Still too much bloodshed. Thing is, losing often makes for a better film - Gone with the Wind - for example - or The Alamo. (See also the official site.)

Also, why not Leonard Bernstein's Philharmonic debut makes front-page news? (1943)

Or, if you like a bit of celebrity gossip, Pope Clemens VII tells Henry VIII to end relationship with Anna Boleyn. (1532)

Or famous deaths Gluck (1787) or Mantovani (1980) (Stop that cheering at back, at once!)

 

Thanks Taggart. One to many Cuba libres no doubt!

16 November 1904 -- English engineer John Ambrose Fleming receives a patent for the thermionic valve (vacuum tube), giving birth to modern electronics. That is the world we live in today.

 

1724 Jack Sheppard, Stepney born highwayman, was hanged at Tyburn in front of 200,000 spectators.

1848 Frédéric Chopin gave his last public performance at London’s Guildhall. He played on, despite illness and an uninterested audience who spent most of the evening in the refreshment areas.

Fairly obvious what the London crowd wanted then.

Bit of a coincidence considering yesterday's topics - 1960 Clark Gable dies.

1952 - In the Peanuts comic strip, Lucy first held a football for Charlie Brown. That defines the world we live in for some people too.

Fascinating in regard to a previous topic. I clicked post and was just about to leave, when I suddenly noticed that my post hadn't been accepted because the server was busy - weird.

 

Two biggies today, November 17:

1869 -- In Egypt, the Suez Canal, linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, is inaugurated.

1947 -- American scientists John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain observe the basic principles of the transistor, a key element for the electronics revolution of the 20th century.

 

1869 -- In Egypt, the Suez Canal, linking the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, is inaugurated.

You can't fool people, bellborrom already told us the truth

 

The pace of progress - 43 years from valve to transistor and look where we are now.

Some beauties.

The ultimate read my lips moment:

1973 - U.S. President Nixon told an Associated Press managing editors meeting in Orlando, FL, "people have got to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook."

Other major events

1558 - Elizabeth I ascended the English throne upon the death of Queen Mary Tudor.

1880 - The first three British female graduates received their Bachelor of Arts degrees from London University.

1904 - The first underwater submarine journey was taken, from Southampton, England, to the Isle of Wight.

1913 - The steamship Louise became the first ship to travel through the Panama Canal.

1913 - In Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm banned the armed forces from dancing the tango. That one conjures up some weird images.

 

On this day in 1532, a famous incident in the Spanish conquest of Peru took place. The Inca Emperor Atahualpa is defeated at the battle of Battle of Cajamarca by Francisco Pizarro (Nov 16th). Then the following day (Nov 17th) Atahualpa, fearing execution, offers to fill a large room with gold and another will silver in exchange for his life. The Spanish accept, smashing up Inca treasures in the process so that more gold and silver can fit in the room. This "ransom room" survives today as something of a tourist attraction. (A few months later, Atahualpa is killed anyway).

In other news, in the year 9 AD the Roman Emperor Vespasian is born, the great leader responsible for the conquest of Judea and for ending the first Civil War of the imperial period. He was also the man who started work on the Colloseum!

 

Serbo-Russian March, an orchestral composition by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky also known as Slavonic March, was premiered in Moscow on this day (November 17th) in 1876. The composition was inspired by the events of the Serbo-Turkish war in 1876 when a large number of Russian volunteers fought on the side of the Serbs. Nikolai Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky's close friend, asked him to write a composition which would be performed at a benefit concert for Russian soldiers wounded in that war. Spurred by patriotism, Tchaikovsky wrote this piece and conducted the orchestra himself. The first part of this piece describes the suffering of Serbs under the Turkish occupation, in which Tchaikovsky used the two Serbian folk songs - "Sunce jarko, ne sijaš jednako" (Bright sun, you do not shine equally) and "Rado ide Srbin u vojnike" (Gladly does the Serb become a soldier). Then, there is a part that describes the crimes in the Balkans, which replaces the part that describes the gathering of Russian volunteers. The third part describes the Serbian cries for help, while the final section describes the Russian volunteers marching to assist the Serbs.